Major Achyut Nugihalli, a veteran of 3 wars, was born on 02 March 1911 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

As one of 10 siblings, he would accompany his father to hear lectures on India’s freedom movement given by eminent speakers. Their struggles motivated him to join freedom fighter camps as a teenager, and further become an active participant in various Satyagrahas and other non violent demonstrations against the British.

After passing his Inter Science exam from Bengaluru, he joined the Freedom movement again in 1932. He campaigned in Shimoga against the British and helped the local farmers in protecting their assets. He was caught and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment at Karwar Jail and later at Visapur jail. For his contribution to India’s freedom struggle, he was awarded the ‘Tamra Patra’ (copper plaque).

After his release he joined Fergusson College in Pune (then Poona) for B.Sc. degree, after which he joined BJ Medical College in 1938. In 1940 he joined the Public Health Dept., Govt. of Bombay, as Anti-Malaria Medical Officer for North Supa and Castle Rock, Karwar District.

He resigned and got enlisted in Indian Medical Department (IMD) in 1941. After his training, he was posted as Surgical Assistant at CGH Colaba in Mumbai (then Bombay). He then received Emergency Commission in Indian Army Medical Corps (IAMC) and was posted as Assistant Surgeon on board Hospital Ship SS Talamba for 2 years, attending to wounded soldiers and Prisoners of War from Tripoli, Naples, Durban and other ports along the Mediterranean to Karachi, Bombay and Colombo.

He finally returned to India in 1945. From 1945-50, he was posted at various Military Hospitals in Bengaluru (Jalahalli and Agram), Belgaum, Pune and Lucknow. He was released from Emergency Commission, IAMC, in April 1950. After his release, he joined Lake Medical College, Kolkata (then Calcutta) and completed his MBBS degree in 1952. Commissioned again in Army Medical Corps (AMC) in 1953 at MH Bangalore, he was then attached with Assam Rifles and posted to Agartala in Tripura. He extensively toured tribal areas on foot in NEFA (North East Frontier Agency) to extend medical coverage to troops and several Naga villages. Thereafter, he was posted to MH Secunderabad, Poona, Barrackpore, Shillong, Jalandhar and Shimla. He then did his specialization in Anaesthesia from AFMC Pune.

During the 1962 war against China, he was posted in forward areas in Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh. In the 1965 war against Pakistan, he was posted in forward field hospitals near Ferozepur in Punjab. He retired as a Major from the AMC in March 1966 on superannuation. Thereafter, for 5 years he served as the medical superintendent of Red Cross Home in Bangalore, an establishment which took care of totally disabled ex-servicemen.

His wife Seetha was a Professor of Sanskrit at Maharani's College in Bangalore.

This Memorial Oration award was instituted by S Anand Kumar, PhD in honour of his uncle Maj Achyut Nuggihalli and is supported by a generous endowment to Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore to support advances in biological research.